Can-counting mechanism



Aug. 4, 1925 l. COMFORT CAN COUNTING MBCHANI SM Fi'led July as. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 1| a 411 9:; J h

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ATTORNEY Aug. 4, 1925.

l. vCOMFORT CAN COUNTING MECHANISM Filed July 23 1924 2 Sheets-Shut 2 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 44, 1925.

UNITED STATES IRWIN COMFORT, 01E BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CAN-COUNTING MECHANISM.

Application filed July 23, 1924. Serial No. 727,613.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, IRWIN COMFORT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Brooklyn, New York, have invented new and useful lmpii'oven'ients in Can-Counting Mechanism, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for counting cans and similar an ticles, the object of the invention being to provide an improved apparatus of this character by means of which an accurate count can be made of cans of different sizes as they pass through the apparatus, regardless of the order in which the various sizes are presented for counting, and which apparatus is simple in construction and efficient in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus by means of which cans can be counted in both directions, that is to say, whether they are being passed out from, or into, a store room or other location.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel features of construction and combination of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings accompanying and form. inn; part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the appa ratus with the front wall of the supporting framework or casing removed in order to show the arrangement and structure of the interior mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view taken at a right-angle to Fig. 1 showing; the counting mechanism on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4- is a view of part of Fig. 3 on a still further enlarged scale showing the construction of the means for operating one of the counting mechanisms;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of Fig. 4; and,

Fitz. 6 is a diagrammatic view of an electrical circuit for use in connection with the apparatus.

In the drawings, 1 indicates suitably are ranged members constituting a framework for supporting the various elements constituting the apparatus. Towards one end of the framework there extends a vertical tower-like housing 5 whilst at the opposite end of the apparatus is provided a laterallyextending platform 6 on which the cans 7 to be counted are placed prior to their being passed outof, or into, the store room or other chamber in conjunction with which the present apparatus is used.

Extending longitudinally within the framework are a pair of beams 9 and 10 to which are secured bearings 12 for a wheel 14, around which works a chain 15, one end of which is secured to a weight receptacle 17 after passing over rollers 18 and 19 suitably supported in the framework, whilst the other end of the chain is secured to a longitudinally movable bar or rod 21 guided by suitably positioned pairs of rollers 23. The weight receptacle 17 is adapted to slide upon a roller 20 supported in bearings carried by the fran'iework. To the longitudinally movable bar or rod 21 is pivoted at one end a lever the other end of which is pivoted to a door 26 by which the cans 7 to be counted must pass on their journey at of or into the store room. In Figure 2 the lever 25 and the door 26 are shown in both the full and dotted line position, the former when the door is closed and the latter in a partly open position with a can 7 about to pass the same. The door 26 is adapted to move about a vertical pivot 28 secured in the framework of the apparatus and one end of the rod 21, that is to say, the right hand end 30 in Fig. 1 contacts with the inner end of the door when it is about to close so as to assist in returning the door promptly to its fully closed position. To facilitate a quick return of the door. to the outer upper extremity thereof (see Fig. 1) is connected a cord 32 which passes over a roller 33 mounted in the framework to the lower end of which cord is connected a can vas or other flexible strip 34 supporting" a ball or other weight The other end of the canvas strip 34 is connected to the under side of an inclined trough 36: thus, on the opening of the door 26 the, cord 32 will be pulled upon thus lifting the ball into the trough 3 The weight of the ball will therefore pull upon the cord in an effort to close the door afte a can has passed the same. which will result in a quick closure be ng effected.

Secured to the wheel 14 is an arm 40 to the outer end of which is connected a lever 42 the opposite end of which is pivoted. as at 44, to a. small car 45 adapted to reciprocate within the housing 5 on rails 46 through wheels 18. To the car 45 is pivoted a pendulum 49 the lower end of which is provided with an enlarged head 50. Now the housing 5 is formed of apair of spacedapart vertically-extending members 52 to the inside faces of each of which are secured a plurality of vertically extending partitions 54- arranged in pairs in staggered relation. These partitions extend only so far inwardly as to leave a vertically-extending space between them which will permit free movement of the pendulum 49 in all positions. On the other hand the head 50 of the pendulum is always in contact with and is guided by the partitions 54 as will be clear from Figure 4.

Disposed within the said partitions are a plurality of spring guiding members 56 so curved as to direct the movement-s of the head 50 of the pendulum as to bring about the actuation of the proper counting mechanism according to the size of the particular can passing the door 26 as hereinafter described.

As will be clear from the drawings the apparatus illustrated therein is designed to count cans of four different sizes and therefore there is provided four pairs of spaced apart partitions and four spring guiding members disposed between them. It will be readily understood however that the machine may be constructed to operate upon a less or greater number of different sized cans.

For each of the different sizes of cans there is provided on the outer face of one of the vertically extending members 52 a mechanical counter. These counters are numbered in the drawings respectively 61, 62, 63 and 64 (see Fig. 3). *ach of these counters must of course be provided with an individual operating mechanism and in Figures 4 and 5 one of such mechanisms is shown for example, that for operating the counter 61. Formed through one of the members 52 is a slot in which is located with capability of vertical movement a trip 65. The rear end of this trip projects into the space between the partitions 54: so that the head 50 can come into contact therewith and operate same. The opposite end of the trip is mounted upon a pivot 66 and also mounted upon said pivot is a cooperating contact 67 which is provided with a cam face 68 adapted to contact with and at certain times to depress the operating lever 69 of the counter 61. The trip 65 and contact 67 are respectively provided with cooperating faces 65* and 67" connected by a spring 70. The operation of the mechanism so far dealt with may be briefly described as follows:

()n a can 7and it will be supposed for the sake of convenience that it is the smallest size can that the machine is adapted to deal with-being pushed past the door 26 the latter will of course be forced to and beyond the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2. This movement, through the lever 25, will force back the rod 21 which in turn will pull upon the chain and raise the left hand end of the weight receptacle 17. The chain will of course rotate the wheel 1 f depressing the arm and pulling down the lever 42 which will in turn pull down the carriage 45 thus actuating the pendulum 49 by causing it to move downwardly in its guideway formed by the spaced apart partitions 51. During this downward movement the enlarged head 50 of the pendulum will come into contact with the lower end of the upper spring guiding member 56, force its way past the bent end thereof and as the smallest size of can is being (lea t with will then have reached the lowest point of its movement. The upward movement of the pendulum 4-9 then commences, and as the head thereof cannot return by the same pat h as it jouri'ieyed down owing to the fact that the bent end of the member 56 has sprung back, it must return by another path, that is to say, the one which is located on the left hand side of said spring member (see Fig. 1). The position of the inner one of the trip is indicated in said figure by a dot and the first thing that the head does on this return movement to contact with said trip. This raises the latter and in turn through the cooperating faces (35* and (37* of the trip 65 and contact (37, auses the de pression of the contact 67 and forces down the counter lever 69 through the instrumentality of the cam 68 to add a unit to the figure shown by the counter. After passing the trip the pendulum continues its upward movement forcing its way past the upper end of the top spring guiding member 56. which, as will be observed from Fig. 1, is bent in the opposite direction to the lower end of said member. It then comes to rest as have the other parts of the apparatus and. the door is closed ready for the next can to pass.

If a can of the next smallest size is next passed through the machine the operation will be exactly as above described, but of course owing to the door being swung further open the head 49 will descend further down the guideway 5st, in this case massing not only the upper guiding member but also the one next beneath it. It will then commence its upward movement through a different path, as it did when a can of the smallest size was passed through. In this case the head will contact with the trip 65 of the second counter (32, then continue up ward past the upper bent end of the second highest guiding member 56, which prevents it contacting with the trip of the counter 61 ing to the particular size of can passing the door 26.

' It has been found by experiment that a wheel, such as 14:, perfectly circular, does not give altogether satisfactory results but that if blocks of wood such as 71 are interposed between the chain and the periphery of the wheel the desired result is obtained.

The counters above described, one for each size of can with which the machine is to deal, are of the mechanical type and will each show the total number of cans of a particular size passed in and out of a store .room or the like. These counters are fixed to the apparatus, but in addition, it will often be found necessary to provide further counters in a different part of the building to that at which the machine is'installed. The latter counters are preferably of the electrically operated type and provision has therefore been made for their addition to the apparatus herein described. Altogether in the apparatus illustrated eight of such electrical counters are preferably employed, that is to say, one for each size of can pass ing into the store room and one for each size of can passing out of the store room.

'Such counters may be incorporated in the apparatus as follows:

Across the top of the door 26 is fixed a bar 73 of any suitable conducting material from one end of which bar rearwardly extends a rod 74 of metal and from the other end of which extends another similar rod 75. The inner ends of these rods are adapted to make contact with double contact blocks 76 and 77 respectively, that is to say, on the door 26 being forced open in one direction by a can 7, the rod 7 4 will be forced between the contact block 76 whilst when the door is forced open in the opposite direction the rod 7 5 will make contact with the block 77 by being forced between the two parts thereof.

In proximity to each of the contacts 67 there is secured to one of the vertical. members 52 a base 78 of insulating material on the front face of which is provided an angularly disposed spring contact 79 having at one end a terminal 80 and along its middle portion apiece of insulating, material 81. Attached to the outer end of contact member 67 is an insulating block 82 from which extends laterally on one side thereof a contact pin 83 adapted when the apparatus is at rest to lie over the insulating pad 81. The block 82- also carries a terminal 8% which is in electrical connection with the pin 83.

In Fig. 6 a diagrammatic representation of the electric connection of the above described parts for one size of can only is given; the adaptation of this circuit for a four-can machine will be readily understood by those versed in the electrical art, also for a machine designed to deal with any other desired number of different sized cans.

From the diagram given it will be seen that to the contact 76 is connected one end of a lead 86 the other end of which is connected to an electrical counter 87 which, for example, may be the out counter for the smallest size of can. To counter 87 is connected a lead 88 from the positive side 89 of a source of electrical energy. The terminal 80 is connected by a lead 90 to the negative side 91 of the source of power, whilst the terminal is connected by a lead 96 to the bar 78. When the rod 7 4: engages the contact 76 and contact is made between the terminals 80 and 84; through 79, due to a can passing out through the door 2-6, the circuit is complete and a unit will be added on the counter 87.

On the in side to block 77 is connected one end of a lead 97 the other end of which is connected to an in counter 98; also to the latter is connected one end of a lead 99 the other end of which is connected to lead 88 connected with the positive side 89 of the source of electrical supply.

hen a can of the smallest size is passed inwards past door 26 terminals 80 and 84 will be connected through 79 as before, but owing to the door 26 moving in the opposite direction will make contact wit-h 77 to actuate counter 98 instead of 74 cont-acting with 76 to operate counter 87 as before. The same principle is applicable to the re-. maining sizes of cans with which the apparatus is designed to deal.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is:

1. In apparatus for counting articles having a door by which the articles must pass, a pendulum adapted to be operated by said door on its movement to effect a count in either direction, a plurality of mechanical counters one for each different size of article to be counted, a plurality of spaced-apart partitions arranged in pairs in staggered relation between which said pendulum works, an enlarged head on said pendulum, and a plurality of bent spring members for guiding said head, so that, on the return movement thereof, it will be so guided as to actuate only that counter which registers the particular size of article that has passed the door.

2. In apparatus for counting articles including a door by which the articles must pass, the combination, comprising a rod, a lever pivoted to said rod and door, a wheel, a chain connected to said rod and passing around said wheel, a weight receptacle to which said chain is also connected, an arm secured to and extending from said wheel, a lever connected to said arm, a pendulum having an enlarged head pivoted to said lever, a plurality of spaced-apart partitions arranged in pairs in staggered relation between which said head is adapted to Work, a plurality of spring contacts arranged between said partitions adapted to guide said head in its movements, a plurality of counters, one for each different size of article to be counted, and means operated by said head to actuate the appropriate counter on an article of a given size passing the door in either direction.

3. In apparatus for counting articles of different sizes including a door by which the articles must pass, the combination, comprising a wheel, an arm extending therefrom, a lever connected to said arm, a pendulum pivoted to said arm and having an enlarged head, a plurality of spaced-apart partitions arranged in pairs in staggered relation between which said head works, a plurality of spring members disposed between said partitions for guiding the said head in its movements, a plurality of mechanical counters, one for each different size of article to be counted, a trip for each counter projecting into the path of said head and so guarded by said spring members that it will be operated on the return movement of the head only when an article of the size which its counter is to register passes the door, and a lever connected to said said wheel.

at. In apparatus for counting articles having a door by which the articles must pass, a pendulum adapted to be (iperated by said door on its movement to e ect a count in either direction, a plurality of mechanical counters one for each different size of article to be counted, a plurality of spaced-apart partitions arranged in pairs in staggered relation between which said pendulum works, an enlarged head on said pendulum, an operating trip for each counter, a plurality of bent spring members so arranged between the spaced-apart partitions as to guide the said head. on its return movement only into contact with that trip which will actuate the counter adapted to register the particular size of article that has passed the door, a contact piece carried by each trip, a series of electrical counters, a cross bar carried by the door, contact rods projecting from said bar, a contact for each rod, and electrical connections between said contact pieces, electrical counters, cross bar, and contacts, so arranged that on a particular trip being actuated its contact will close and the movement of the door will cause one of the contact rods to engage its contact to complete a particular circuit depending upon whether an article is passed in or out.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

IRWIN COMFORT.

door for operating 

